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By early afternoon you can see it from a distance: a haze of colored dust hanging over the grass, with Bollywood music thumping underneath. Up close, the crowd is dyed from head to toe in pink, orange, green and purple. Strangers smear powder on each other's cheeks. Dancers form a circle near the stage. This is Holi at Stanford, a spring celebration run by students that has grown from a small gathering in the late 1990s into one of the most colorful days on the Peninsula.
This guide covers what Holi is, how the Stanford event started, the most recent confirmed date, tickets and practical tips for keeping your phone and your car clean. The 2026 festival was on Saturday, May 9, at Sand Hill Fields. The 2027 date had not been posted as of November 1, 2026.
What Holi celebrates
Holi is a Hindu festival of colors, love and spring. Students quoted by The Stanford Daily in 2026 described several meanings layered together. It marks the arrival of spring and the harvest. It recalls the love of Radha and Krishna. It also celebrates the victory of good over evil in the story of Holika. In India and across the diaspora, people mark it by throwing colored powder called gulal, spraying water, dancing and sharing food.
The traditional date follows the Hindu lunar calendar and usually falls in March. Stanford's celebration is scheduled around the academic year instead, so it has landed in April or May in recent years. If you are looking for Holi on the traditional day, check temples and community centers around the South Bay.
History at Stanford
The festival is organized by Asha Stanford, the campus chapter of Asha for Education, a nonprofit that funds education for children in India. The event has always doubled as a fundraiser.
- About 1999: Asha members started the event. In a March 2001 interview posted by the chapter, a member recalled that it began two years earlier as "a very small event."
- 2001: the festival drew almost 1,000 people. Asha imported 600 pounds of gulal from India and handed it out free. Organizers hoped to raise about $10,000 for schools in India.
- 2018: Stanford Magazine pictured a two-day celebration in April at Sand Hill Fields.
- 2023: Stanford Report described a Saturday and Sunday festival at Sand Hill Fields that used more than 5,000 pounds of food-grade colored powder.
- 2026: a one-day festival on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The jump from 600 pounds of powder to more than 5,000 gives a sense of how much the event has grown. Organizers now coordinate with Stanford's Department of Public Safety and its Office of Student Engagement. The Daily also noted Stanford EMS on standby in 2026.
The 2026 festival at a glance
| Detail | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, May 9 |
| Hours | 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. |
| Where | Sand Hill Fields, Stanford Athletics, Oak Road |
| Tickets | Free for Stanford affiliates; $45 for non-Stanford guests, through Eventbrite |
| Program | Colored powder, Bollywood and bhangra music, live singing, dancing, Indian food |
| Beneficiary | Education programs in India through Asha for Education |
Details come from the event's listing on Stanford Events and coverage in The Stanford Daily. Ticket prices and hours can change from year to year.
What to expect on the day
Holi at Stanford is a big outdoor party. Expect a music stage, a dance floor that spreads across the grass and long lines for food. Color is thrown all day, but the heaviest clouds tend to come when the music peaks and the crowd surges toward the stage. Students in the Daily's 2026 coverage mentioned performances, bhangra and live singing alongside the DJ sets.
The atmosphere is friendly and very physical. People will put color on your face and clothes without asking, which is part of the tradition. If that does not suit you, watch from the edge of the field where the powder is lighter.
What to wear and bring
- Old clothes. White shows the colors best. Assume everything you wear will stain.
- Closed shoes you can rinse. The grass gets slick and colorful.
- Sunglasses to keep powder out of your eyes. Contact lens wearers may prefer glasses that day.
- A zip bag or waterproof case for your phone. Fine powder gets into ports and speakers.
- Coconut oil or moisturizer on skin and hair beforehand. Many people say it makes the color easier to wash off.
- Water and sunscreen. May afternoons can be hot and there is little shade on the fields.
- A towel and a change of clothes left in a bag or your car for the trip home.
Leave anything valuable at home. Light hair can hold a tint for a few washes, so plan accordingly if you have an event the next day.
Going with kids
Children often love the color. A few precautions make it easier. Go early, when the crowd is smaller and the powder lighter. Keep small children on your shoulders or at the edge of the field once the dancing picks up. Protect their eyes with sunglasses or swim goggles. Keep a damp cloth handy for faces. Ear protection helps near the speakers. Plan a meeting spot with older kids, since everyone looks alike once they are covered in color.
For other campus events open to visitors through the year, our guide to finding Stanford campus events explains where listings appear.
Parking and Caltrain
Stanford lists Sand Hill Fields on Oak Road, among the athletics fields on campus. Use the map link on the event listing to find the entrance. Parking for big events is set by Stanford, so check the event listing for the year's instructions. Visitor parking is paid by zone through ParkMobile, with many central lots free on weekends. Our Stanford parking and transit guide explains the system.
By train, ride Caltrain to Palo Alto station. The Marguerite shuttle runs its main lines on weekdays only, so on a Saturday you will need to bike, walk or take a rideshare from the station. Put a towel on the seat for the ride home. Drivers will thank you.
Food, stays and what to do nearby
Food at the festival tends to sell out at peak times, so eat before you arrive or plan a meal afterward. Our guide to Indian food in Palo Alto lists restaurants nearby. Stanford Shopping Center, a short drive from campus, has quick options once you have cleaned up. Our shopping center guide has the details.
If you are traveling for the festival, the Palo Alto and Menlo Park hotels along El Camino Real are the closest. You can compare hotels near Stanford for the weekend. The free Cantor Arts Center is a quieter way to spend the next morning. In the fall, Stanford's South Asian student groups also host Diwali events. See our Diwali guide for those.
Frequently asked questions
When is Holi at Stanford in 2027?
The 2027 date had not been posted as of November 1, 2026. Stanford's celebration is held in spring and does not always fall on the traditional Holi date. It was on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Past editions have also been held in April. Watch Stanford's events calendar in early spring.
Can non-students go to Holi at Stanford?
Yes. In 2026 the event was free for Stanford affiliates and $45 for non-Stanford attendees, with registration through Eventbrite. The Stanford Daily described a crowd of students, faculty and people from around the Bay Area.
Who organizes Holi at Stanford?
The student group Asha Stanford, part of the nonprofit Asha for Education, runs the event as a fundraiser. Stanford Report says proceeds go to educational nonprofits in India. Organizers work with campus public safety and student engagement offices to plan it.
What should I wear to Holi at Stanford?
Wear old clothes you do not mind staining, often white so the colors show. Closed shoes, sunglasses and a zip bag for your phone help. Colored powder can tint light hair and may take more than one wash to come out of skin.
How long has Stanford celebrated Holi?
Asha Stanford has hosted Holi since about 1999. In a 2001 interview, a member said the group had started the event two years earlier as a very small gathering. By 2001 it drew almost 1,000 people. Stanford Report later noted organizers used more than 5,000 pounds of colored powder.